Italian jeweller to the stars, Bulgari, take ups residence in Melbourne's NGV
Richard Burton famously quipped that in the nine months Elizabeth Taylor spent living in Rome whilst filming her epic Cleopatra, she learned just one word of Italian, “Bulgari“.
Synonymous with Italian glamour, Italy's most famous jewellery house is bringing a collection of jewels to Australia, in an exhibition which celebrates the brands long association with the world's most glamorous, and most photographed, film stars.
Italian Jewels: Bulgari Style, will showcase the longstanding relationship between Bulgari and the studio systems of Rome and Hollywood, established in the1960s when glamour reigned supreme.
The exhibition features exquisite pieces from the private collections of film stars Elizabeth Taylor and Gina Lollobrigida, and celebrates Bulgari's associations with the leading ladies of the day including Anita Ekberg and Grace Kelly.
Bulgari has long been renowned as a jewellery powerhouse with a strong presence on the red carpet. Spectacular pieces, worn more recently, by leading Hollywood starlets, including Kiera Knightley, feature in the collection.
The exhibition has been curated by the National Gallery of Victoria in collaboration with Bulgari Heritage, and will include a round of public programs and associated events. Among them, lectures and conversations by curators, designers, academics and experts well schooled in Italian jewellery, style and design.